Chapter 41 Aspen
ASPEN
Cady bounced up and down in her booster seat. “They’re going to bring bugs and snakes and lizards and all sorts of things.”
I fought a shiver at the word snake but tried to hide it. Cady loved all living things, and I didn’t want to change that for her.
“What do you think will be your favorite?” Roan asked from the driver’s seat as he turned into the elementary school parking lot.
“Hmm,” Cady said thoughtfully.
My gaze slid to my phone again. I’d gotten the alert two minutes into the drive, and my stomach had been in knots ever since. Steven and Tyson’s podcast had a new episode.
I worried the inside of my cheek as I stared at the title they’d given it. Who’s Lying Now?
“Lizard!” Cady shouted, breaking into my thoughts. “But I heard he’s gonna bring a dragon.”
My brows lifted at that. “A dragon?”
Cady and Charlie had been beyond excited for The Bug Guy to visit their classroom, but dragons seemed extreme.
Roan chuckled. “I bet he has a bearded dragon.”
I turned to glance at him. “That sounds dangerous.”
“No, they actually make great pets,” Roan informed me.
“Maybe we’ll get one of those next, Mama. I want a dragon.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose where a headache was building. “I think we’ve got a full house right now, Katydid.”
“We’ll see,” she singsonged.
Roan just laughed harder.
“Stop it,” I whisper-hissed.
He pulled to a stop in the pickup line and bent to kiss me. “You’d never say no to an animal in need.”
Cady giggled. “Don’t do that in front of Charlie. He doesn’t like kissing.”
Roan grunted. “It’s a good thing. If that changes, you let me know.”
“Okay, Mr. Grizz,” Cady said, unbuckling her straps.
I jumped out of the truck and helped her down, then bent to give her a quick squeeze. “Love you. Have the best day.”
She smacked a kiss on my cheek. “You, too, Mama!”
Then she was gone, running for the doors of the school.
I watched her go for a moment before turning back to the truck. How long did we have before I had to tell her the truth about her father? How long until she would be aware of all the articles and podcasts and Dateline specials?
I opened the door and climbed inside. Roan watched me as I buckled my seat belt and then pulled away from the curb, not saying a word. But instead of heading straight to The Brew, he pulled to the side of the street in front of a gallery that hadn’t yet opened.
“What’s wrong?”
I stared at my hands in my lap. “New podcast episode.”
Roan cursed. He unbuckled my belt and pulled me closer to him. “You don’t have to pay any attention to that noise.”
“Cady will hear it all one day. That’s what I hate the most.”
He sighed. “We’ll be there to help her through it when the time comes.”
My heart rate ratcheted up. We. God, I wanted that. Nothing felt like too much with Roan by my side. Somehow, his gruffness soothed the worst of any situation.
“Are you going to listen to it?” he asked softly.
“Probably,” I admitted. It was like a car wreck I couldn’t turn away from. One I needed to shield Cady from however I could.
Roan plucked the phone from my lap. “Then we listen together.”
He tapped a few buttons on the screen, and the now-familiar intro music began to play.
“Welcome to Twisted Lies, The True John Carrington Story. I’m Steven.”
“And I’m Tyson.”
“Today, we’ve got a special guest joining us,” Steven said. “A reporter who has covered this case from the beginning, Oren Randal.”
My stomach dropped, and Roan slid his hand into mine, weaving our fingers together.
“Welcome, Oren,” Tyson greeted. “It’s great to have someone who’s been with this case in real time.”
“It’s a pleasure to be here,” Oren said. “We need people like you keeping this case in the forefront because I don’t think we have the right person behind bars.”
I gripped Roan’s hand tighter. All I could think about was the implications of Oren’s casual words.
If John ever got a retrial, this could poison the jury pool.
Cady could hear this, possibly causing her to question things, not to mention it could make everyone in my day-to-day life look at me differently.
“I’m glad to hear you say that,” Steven cut in.
“I’m not even saying that Tara Monroe meant to lie.
She could’ve been traumatized by finding her sister.
By being accidentally stabbed. Her mind could’ve automatically decided John was the killer, even though there’s a very plausible case for him not being involved. ”
Oren scoffed. “Oh, I think she lied on purpose. I think she was jealous that Autumn loved John so much. That they had this happy life she wasn’t all that involved in. She saw a chance to get some payback for John stealing her sister away and took it.”
“I don’t know,” Tyson said. “We got copies of the forensics reports this week, and that blood evidence on John was pretty damning.”
There was silence for a moment.
“You seriously think she’s telling the truth?” Steven asked, shock evident in his voice.
“You saw the photos,” Tyson said. “How do you get that kind of blood on you? It looked like spray.”
“He loved his wife,” Oren cut in, voice tight. “He said time and time again that he held her after he found her.”
“But that doesn’t explain—”
Steven cut Tyson off. “It does explain. If you lift someone with those kinds of wounds, blood is going to get everywhere. I can’t believe you’re starting to fall for her sob story. She’s a manipulative—”
I hit stop on my phone. “I can’t listen anymore,” I croaked.
Roan hauled me into his lap, cradling me to his chest. “Don’t. They don’t have any damned evidence. It’s just the same half-cocked conspiracy theories.”
Tears burned my eyes. “I can’t imagine how scared she was. I told her I’d always have her back, always be there for her. And when she needed me the most, I didn’t.”
“Aspen.” Roan brushed his hand over my hair in soothing strokes. “You fought for her every step of the way. You’re still fighting for her. For the girl she gave life.”
I let out a hiccuped breath. “I miss her.”
“Of course, you do.” He pressed his lips to the top of my head. “Tell me about her.”
“She’s the one who invented cocoa smash.”
I could feel Roan’s mouth curve against my hair. “You mean that instant cavity in a bowl?”
A laugh burst out of me. “She invented it when I wanted ice cream with chocolate syrup after a bad day, but we didn’t have any. It’s way better anyway.”
“Sounds like a really good sister.”
“She was the best,” I whispered. “We didn’t have a lot growing up. It was just my mom and us. Mom couldn’t seem to hold down a job. Sometimes, we got lucky, and she could scrounge together enough money for an apartment. Other times, it was a shelter or our car.”
Roan’s grip on me tightened.
“I was okay, though, because I always had Autumn. She made sure I was all right. Safe. Warm. Fed.”
“She was more like your mom.”
My throat burned. “Yeah.”
We were quiet for a moment, Roan just holding me tightly and soothing the worst of the hurt.
“I think that’s why she stayed with John longer than she should’ve. Because she wanted the family we never had. She was so desperate to give her daughter a good life.”
Roan cupped my cheek, tipping my head back. “But now you’re giving Cady that good life. Look at how loved she is. How full of magic her life is. You did that.”
I swallowed, trying to clear the ache in my throat. “I’ve tried. So damn hard. But things really soared when your family came into our lives.”
The Hartleys had given us so much. Cady’s best friend. Women who had become like sisters to me. Kerry’s motherly nurturing and care. Nathan’s sweet gruffness. Holt’s, Nash’s, and Lawson’s brotherly ways. And Roan.
He had become the greatest gift of all.
Roan brushed his mouth against mine and then pulled back. His gaze bored into mine. “You’ve given me more than I ever could’ve imagined. Even before I knew you, you were this spark of light in the shadows. But being in your orbit? It’s so bright it casts out everything else.”
I pressed a hand to his chest, feeling the steady beat there. It wasn’t an I love you; it was so much better. It was raw and real and…Roan.
The woman stared at me for a beat too long as I offered her the bills and change in my hand. My stomach twisted. I didn’t recognize her as a local and hoped like hell she wasn’t a reporter.
She licked her lips as she took her change from me. “I’m so sorry about what happened to you,” she whispered. “Know that you’re believed.”
Her eyes shone, a glimmer of tears there as her gaze connected with mine.
My throat tightened. There was an understanding in her expression. Something that told me she’d seen the effects of abuse in one way or another. “Thank you. I can’t tell you what that means.”
She nodded and shoved the change into the tip jar. “Stay safe.”
“I will.”
And then she was gone.
A weight lifted off my shoulders, something I’d carried for years. And all it took was one stranger telling me she believed me.
“You okay?” Jonesy asked from his usual table.
I cleared my throat and shot him a smile. “I’m good. Better than good, actually.”
Elsie’s lips twitched. “That got anything to do with the big, burly man in your bed?”
I snorted. “It doesn’t hurt.”
“I bet.” She grinned and turned back to her computer, getting to work on editing her newest batch of photos.
I frowned at the computer screen. “You’re still holding off on going up into the mountains, right?”
Elsie sent me a sheepish smile. “I went on some trails yesterday—but close to my cabin, I promise. There haven’t been any more incidents, so I think it’s fine.”
I pinned her with my best motherly stare. “You should at least wait another week or two. And bring a Taser and bear spray when you go.”
She grinned at me. “I promise I’ll bring both.”
“Thank you,” I said, letting out a breath.
I turned to grab my rag and cleaning spray. Tackling the bathrooms was my least favorite task at The Brew, but someone had to do it. And it was better to get it done while things were quiet.
As I stepped past the pantry, I heard the squeak of hinges. I turned, but it was too late. A hand clamped over my mouth, and someone jerked me back into a broad body.
“Listen, you little bitch. You’re going on the record and telling everyone you’re a lying sack of shit. You’re going to recant your testimony and finally give John his freedom,” Oren snarled, his breath hot in my ear.
I moved on instinct, my elbow jerking back in a hard thrust. I’d watched countless self-defense videos on YouTube and practiced the moves until I knew them by heart, but I’d never actually used them.
Oren grunted, his hand loosening around my mouth.
I twisted, my hand coming up in a palm strike. Unfortunately, he managed to dodge the worst of it, so it only pissed him off.
Oren’s fist struck out, catching me across the cheek.
I saw stars for a moment, but the adrenaline kicked in as he grabbed for my shoulders. My knee jerked up on instinct as I yelled.
Oren collapsed to the floor with a cry as Elsie and Jonesy ran into the hallway.
“What the hell happened?” Elsie asked, her eyes wide.
That was when I started to shake. “I think I broke his balls.”